Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Hardwick vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Dummerston | Hardwick | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
2,965 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Hardwick and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Dummerston and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 70 in VT | — | #68 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Hazen Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | 8.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.